*Due to a family emergency, Balmorhea has canceled some tour dates including Bloomington. But you should still read all about 'em
(Pronounced Bal-Moray)
In 2009, acoustic instrumental group Balmorhea released All is Wild, All is Silent, a beautifully-crafted album inspired by the letters of early settler William B Dewees. From the original duo formed by Rob Lowe and Michael Muller to a sextet, the enhanced sound exhibited the vast landscape of the American frontier. The Texan band created an emotive narrative truly representative of a distinct moment in time in their homestate. You can't help but describe the cinematic quality of the album, but it would be unfair to just compare them to every notable instrumental soundtrack from the past few years.
On February 23, the group will further prove their abilities Constellations, which "trades that pioneer spirit for a greater sense of awe and hushed contemplation of our place in the universe." (AV Club) These guys won't just repeat the same style or theme, but really explore their infinite options.
They will be playing Bloomington at the end of the month, info below:
Balmorhea
with E.P. Hall and Dust From 1000 Years
Russian Recording(All Ages)
Saturday February 27
9 p.m.
$8
And here's a q&a we conducted with founding members Robe Lowe and Michael Muller via e-mail:
What does your Texan identity mean to you, as an artist and as an individual? How would you describe the Austin music community compared to other environments where you have performed?
Being from Texas, having learned its history, having traveled to practically every part of it, and having spent 25 of my 25 years in it, I still feel as if I know a small amount of what one can know of Texas. It is my home and it effects me in the same way that anyones home does, I just happen to have a rather exceptional place to call home. I guess it is useless to speculate, but I think that my experience here has led me to explore music in ways that I perhaps would not have had I grown up somewhere else.
Austin definitely has something special going on. There are plenty of places around the globe with spectacular scenes, and many that are probably more fertile for the type of music we are making, but Austin has this great feeling of openness, like everyone is out to have a good time and find something new. That openness definitely gives a lot of bands the confidence to create. There are also just so many places to play live here, you could play every night if you wanted. It really has been the perfect place to grow our group and try new things.
I've read many Austin-based features giving Balmorhea great praise and titles such as "Austin's foremost instrumental acoustic outfit." This wasn't an overnight thing that happened for the band, but I can only imagine the gratitude from receiving that kind of support. Has that changed your day-to-day lives at all?
We really have had so much support here in Austin, much more than we ever thought when we started. It's difficult to know how that plays into the growth and development of a group, but I know that with that encouragement we have felt much more free to try new things and peruse our career in a more aggressive way. We have definitely put in our fair share of work, but we have had a lot of support around here.
Balmorhea "Untitled 1" from Retread Sessions on Vimeo.
How would you compare touring in Europe with the U.S.? Was your European fanbase particularly aware of the Texan sound and context behind All is Wild, All is Silent or do you think it's more of a universal appeal that draws them in to Balmorhea?
It's amazing how different the touring infrastructure is in the EU than in the US. Both have their charms, but the EU has this warmth and generosity that make it so much fun, you don't feel so much like you are part of a profit machine. I don't know how much the European fan base was familiar with the 'western' sound, but I think it is a sound that most people can relate to.
With the release of Constellations, I can only imagine an even greater appreciation from across the pond. What has the reception been so far for the new album?
We are just starting to hear reactions to it, and most are good. Of course we are getting the 'man, this is so boring' from some people, but we expected that. I think that if people just give it a little attention and space they will find something there to react to (and hopefully something more than boredom). We want people to slow down with it and spend a little time. It's not meant to be something really flashy and mind blowing from the front.
What made you shift into a new direction with Constellations? It's so impressive especially considering All is Wild, All is Silent was released just last year, and the quality of both releases. What was the time span as far as recording and touring?
We recorded 'Constellations' before 'All is Wild, All is Silent' was released, so we have been siting on these songs for about a year. That time was a very creative time, there was a lot going on musically for us, so we got it all down and sat on it. We have been focusing on touring and playing live for the past year, as well as working on some music for other projects. Now we start the touring circuit all over again. As far as the direction for 'Constellations,' the pendulum just swung in a new direction. We are not interested in doing the same thing over and over, so hopefully whatever happens next will see the pendulum swing in a different direction.
What was the process/creative input like when contributing to film soundtracks? Have you ever thought about doing a joint album and film release, along the lines of Califone's All My Friends Are Funeral Singers?
Each project we have worked on is different. Some directors/music supervisors are more particular about what they want, some just want you to use your own judgement. I am not familiar with 'All My Friends Are Funeral Singers,' but it sounds like an interesting idea. We are open to almost anything.
remembrance // balmorhea // all is wild, all is silent from jared hogan on Vimeo.
